Switzerland-based Jekla, the manufacturer of the electrically powered Passenger Hydro Aircraft Zero Emission 100 (PHA-ZE 100) flying boat, has announced that Gayo Aviation plans to buy 10 electrically powered amphibious aircraft for leasing or for use in tourism and charter operations.
“The airframe will be delivered in a baseline configuration for 19 passengers, with the deal including ground support equipment for charging and replacing the PHA-ZE 100’s batteries; tools and component support for the first year of operation; training for two pilots and two technicians; and a three-year airframe warranty,” Jekla said in a statement announcing the deal.
“We are delighted to be the first customer to sign an LOI [letter of intent] with Jekta for this impressive, versatile and comfortable airframe. We want to be among the first to provide our customers with a truly sustainable option to transport their passengers. With the potential to reduce per-passenger-per-hour costs by more than 70% compared to current seaplanes we can satisfy that need,” says Gisle Dueland, chief executive of Gayo Aviation.
“The trend for the top end of the tourism community is towards sustainable and experiential travel, so we wanted to be ahead of the curve and first in line to serve this evolving sector. This opens up more opportunities to supply sustainable tourism options and Gayo is committed to supporting this expansion. We anticipate that interest in travel on these airframes will be high,” Dueland added.